UAN – UNITED

Written on April 21, 2013 at 5:05 pm

Manbat – Battery Training Matters!

Manbat is the UK’s largest battery distributor and the brands in its portfolio – VARTA®, Lucas and Numax, – satisfy all the requirements for quality, performance, range and value that both UAN members and their workshop customers demand.

Manbat is also a very active supply partner that is committed to the task of working with individual members in order to help them sell more batteries and subsequently increase their profits.

Battery training is a vital part of this process and Manbat therefore offer on-site training that is tailored to cover the specific requirements of the business. However, generic training starts with a basic knowledge-based programme aimed at defining the relevant terminology such as CCA (Cold Cranking in Amperes), Ah (Ampere Hour) capacity, battery type (VRLA, GEL AGM) and battery characteristics (starting, cyclic etc.).

“Effective training will ensure that factors, garages and retailers make the most of their battery sales,” says marketing manager, Myles Pemberton, “and that begins by making sure they supply their respective customers with the most suitable battery for the purpose.

“That is why it is risky just to assume that a direct like-for-like replacement is the correct solution for the application. In many cases the incorrect battery could have been previously fitted and therefore the correct procedure is to use an application guide such as the Numax Application Guide or Lucas Battery Catalogue, to check the battery is the correct for that particular vehicle.

“There is however an opportunity to upgrade the battery when a unit of a higher specification is more suitable for the vehicle and how it is being used and training helps our customers match the most appropriate battery to each particular application and allows them the opportunity to explain why cheaper is not necessarily better.

“Battery testing is a valuable service for garages to offer their customers, but it can also reveal a great deal about any underlying fault that may have caused the battery to fail. Many companies will simply replace a failed battery without any diagnosis of why a perfectly good battery may have lasted only a matter of months.

“Manbat by contrast will train technicians to address these matters with sound battery testing procedures, because they know that good diagnosis both saves the customer money and helps to build their own reputation for customer service.

“Our training will also help technicians to carry out battery work on the growing number of vehicles that are fitted with Start-Stop technology. These vehicles use AGM or EFB batteries and require specific training and specialist tools such as the VARTA® Start-Stop Service Program (VSSP 2.0) device, in order to be serviced and repaired correctly.

“The training also tackles the subject of waste management by ensuring that customers know that they can make a profit from waste batteries and by encouraging them to offer their retail trade customers an exchange service for their old batteries, which in turn also helps the environment.”

This approach, in conjunction with a superb portfolio of brands and products ensures that rather than being seen as mere a box shifter, its customers look upon Manbat as a problem solver, providing all manner of power storage solutions.